Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
rogjack6112
Newbie

9-11-15 We have had this problem with our galaxy SIII phones for the past 18 mos -- I suspect after an update. The GPS is stable and reliable in our home city but faulty on the road, particularly in another state.

I have tried all the remedies discussed -screws, calibrated and reset GPS and turned off Weatherbug location.

All location boxes enabled.

I love the phone but had to buy a Garmin GPS as a backup for on the road.

This is a true PITA and I wish Verizon or Google or Samsung would correct it! Roger

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

rogjack6112,

We want you to be able to use GPS on your phone with no worries. Where is this GPS issue happening? What shows as the signal your phone is getting when it has this issue?
StevenG_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
rogjack6112
Newbie

It occurs in Ill, texas ark missouri and memphis to name a few sites. Stable here in Nashville. The GPS just loses contact and ten minutes later resumes contact sometimes. Happens with both our S3 phones. What could be the problem. ? Thanks

Roger or CeCelia/ Nashville

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

rogjack6112,

GPS is something that I use often. Without it, I'd never know where I was, so this would be a concern for me if it wasn't working. Let's try out a few different things here:


1.Check GPS settings
a.Settings -> Location services -> Check "VZW location services", "Standalone GPS services", "Google location services".
b.Turn on Wi-Fi.
c.Check Mobile data and call are enabled from the bar on the top. (Uncheck airplane mode, Check Mobile data, etc.)
d.Enable Google location service.
e.Settings -> Accounts: Google -> Location settings -> Turn on "Let Google apps access your location"
2.Setting application manager -> All -> Maps -> Clear data -> Force stop
3.Press hold "Home Key" and Close all
4.Press hold "Home Key" and Task manager -> RAM tab -> Clear memory.
5.Launch Maps or Navigation. 


Keep us posted on if this resolves the issue.


ErinW_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
JerrySNB
Enthusiast - Level 3

I've found that the GPS function is not reliable in my area (greater Hartford, CT) either. The GPS signal is iffy, even when I'm just driving around central Connecticut. (Actually, GPS should be reliable regardless of where you are as long as you have a clear view of the sky.)

I've tried moving the phone to different locations within my car, and it doesn't seem to help.

So far as I can tell, the GPS receiver in the phone is just not very sensitive. My wife has an old Garmin Nuvi, and it is much more reliable.

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

JerrySNB,


GPS service is a very important function of your wireless device that should be reliable. Let's fix this so you can feel confident your navigation service is working properly. The area of Hartford, CT. looks good, no issues. What type of device do you have? How long has this been going on?Any other features or services experiencing an issue?


JuanD_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
JerrySNB
Enthusiast - Level 3

I have a Samsung Galaxy S III (SCH-I535, hardware version I535.10, currently on Android 4.4.2). This has been a problem since I first got the phone, some 2-1/2 years ago.

I use Google Maps to do my navigation, although that shouldn't matter. I generally travel around central Connecticut. When I am navigating, I have the phone's navigation accuracy set to "high". I am in my car, of course.

The phone usually says "GPS signal lost" within a few minutes, catches the signal again, drops it, and so forth. I can understand losing the signal if I'm in a tunnel or underpass, or even an area with a lot of skyscrapers; but it often seems to lose the signal even if I'm in a relatively open area. Since I'm driving, I don't have the leisure to look around to see if I'm the signal shadow of a hill, or some such.

Granted, the center console of my car is not a good place to catch a signal; but even if I put the phone on the dashboard it seems to lose the signal often enough for me not to trust it. Keeping it on the dashboard is not really an option anyway, since I don't want my phone sliding around or going airborne.

Since navigation eats battery juice like crazy, I always keep my phone plugged into a charger when I'm using it.

I keep the CPU in power saving mode. I don't know if that makes a difference.

As for other features or services, I don't think I've ever had a problem with a voice or data (4G) signal when I'm outdoors. When I'm indoors, I sometimes drop back to 3G or even 1G; but when that happens, everyone else is in the same boat. I'm not concerned about that.

WiFi is fine, too. There are dead spots in every building, but that's natural. In fact, I've used my phone to diagnose WiFi coverage when I'm setting up equipment.

The only thing that gives me trouble is GPS itself.

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
JerrySNB
Enthusiast - Level 3

I've been doing some testing, and the results are puzzling. For example, this afternoon I parked in the lot of a supermarket. With my phone inside the car, GPSTest was unable to get a fix. The screen showed that it was only able to find one satellite.

I tried again, with the phone outside my car. The phone still couldn't get a fix. Mind you, I was quite a distance from any trees or buildings; there was nothing but open sky above me.

On my drive home, the phone did lock onto enough satellites for it to find my location. At that moment, I was under a tree and surrounded by houses and other buildings.

Something is wrong.

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Re: GPS signal lost. This is ridiculous. Samsung Galaxy SIII
rogjack6112
Newbie

Today I took the back off and with a good small phillips screw driver I tightened all the screws. Most had some looseness. My GPS immediately was able to lock on even in my den. I used it all day and always it locked within 30 seconds. See this youtube video where he describes this procedure and the effect on the GPS and how to test real time --pretty well done. We will see if my phone continues to hold the lock with GPS.

Galaxy S3 Gps Fix (When Screw Tightening Doesn't Work) - YouTube

Thks Roger

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